


The Promise of Destruction

by MulticoloredRose



Series: Into Darkness, Unafraid [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alaren Lavellan, Alternate Universe, Gen, POV Cassandra Pentaghast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 20:01:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17856026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MulticoloredRose/pseuds/MulticoloredRose
Summary: When Cassandra goes to speak to the Inquisitor late at night, he speaks some truths and gets her thinking about the long term effects of the Inquisition and its future.





	The Promise of Destruction

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuation of Alaren Lavellan's story, it does assume some familiarity with previous stories but is totally fine as a standalone.

 

It always seems these days like there’s precious few moments to actually catch the Inquisitor alone, without anyone vying for his attention or aid. It was a small problem before, when the young elf was nothing more than just the ‘Herald of Andraste’ chosen to free them all from the demon scourge but now that he holds the dual title of Inquisitor, and since the full realization of the Inquisition and its stance against the absolute insanity that’s become of the world and this Corypheus – Alaren seems to be unimaginably busy.

Whether it be his time with Josephine and all of the endless comments or signatures that he needs to approve, or Cullen with the training and army updates, or Leliana keeping him updated on any new information happening around Thedas, or his constant visits around not just Skyhold and his ‘inner circle’ but also with any visiting dignitaries or new refugee groups. It seems as though there is scant little moments that aren’t eaten up or delegated for him. Cassandra grows less and less surprised with how easily he agrees to head out of the halls of Skyhold to go hiking through deserts or forests looking for Fade Rifts or other such nonsense that the various nobility and towns have begged their aid for despite how it drains and hurts him. It’s probably the quietest it gets for him, only having to make the rounds in a much smaller group.

The Inquisitor’s rooms were specifically chosen for their easy defensibility and the ability to be both private and yet difficult to get to. It allows the Inquisitor a decent location to deal with various issues without any of the noise or eyes of Skyhold following him around.

Cassandra nods at the guards standing watch in the main hall as she takes the path to the Inquisitor’s room. It’s late and he’s resting, but this missive is an important piece of information regarding the rogue Templars and mages that Cassandra asked him to assist her with. Time is of the essence, since she doubts that Leliana’s information about their locations will hold for too long. She makes her way up the stairs and a frown overtakes her face when she sees the faint glow of candlelight coming from around the corner. He’s supposed to be resting. Getting precious sleep that he’s been unable to ‘schedule in’ fully since they returned to Skyhold and Cassandra feels a slight annoyance when she sees him at his desk, writing diligently by candlelight.

“Inquisitor.” Cassandra says and her voice holds a small rebuke, not that Alaren is cowed by it as per usual, as he glances up at her.

“Cassandra.” He greets warmly. “What brings you by? Is there something I can help you with?” He puts down his quill and gives her his full attention.

“You’re supposed to be resting.” Cassandra says as she comes over.

“There were some things that I wished to take care of.” Alaren replies.

“Surely they could wait.” Cassandra argues. “You have had precious little time to rest. Being exhausted out in the field can be just as dangerous as being drunk or drugged.”

“I know, and I understand the concern.” Alaren says.

“Then why aren’t you resting?”

“I am resting.” Alaren argues slightly. “But as for sleep, it seems that the mark seems to have other ideas for me tonight.” The mark in question glows on Alaren’s hand like it knows it’s being talked about and Cassandra leans forward, concern heavy inside of her.

“Is it hurting you again?”

“It just seems to be a little more active today than it has been in a while.” Alaren deflects, his voice calming. “Solas should be returning with Cole and the Inquisition scouting team tomorrow morning. I’m sure I’ll find time to rest before we leave for Crestwood. If not, I’ll certainly rest on the trip out.”

“We need a better system than just Solas when it comes to easing the mark.” Cassandra says and Alaren gives her a small smile. “Surely Vivienne, or even Dorian if you prefer, could be taught whatever methods he uses?”

“Neither of them are Rift Mages, nor have they worked so closely with the mark prior to this.” Alaren replies. “But for the most part, their specializations don’t really allow for it.”

“Solas isn’t really a ‘Rift Mage’ either. The only one who can exert power over the rifts is you.”

“He’s a Fade Mage, which is close enough to being a Rift mage but without a glowing green mark on one’s hand.” Alaren answers her with a small smile. “But I don’t think you came up here to discuss the subtleties between mage classifications. How can I help you?” He asks, trying to get her back on track and she sighs as she hands him the letters from Leliana’s scouts. He takes them from her and starts looking over them immediately.

Idle curiosity is a thing that Cassandra has always had a problem with, and it’s certainly a problem now as she looks at the pages that adorn the Inquisitor’s desk, written with his delicate and neat penmanship.

_To tell the absolute truth, I’ve come to realize that a common part of ‘adventures’ like ours that people fail to mention in retellings is this: we spend a lot more time being lost than anyone wants to admit to. I can honestly think of dozens upon dozens of experiences where we finally admit after stomping through a zombie infested bog or a boiling hot desert that none of us know where we are or even sometimes remembering where it is we’re supposed to be going._

“Inquisitor?” She finds herself asking and he glances up at her, before he follows her gaze and looks at the pages. “What is this?”

“They’re some of the questions that Varric gives me.” He answers her. “I had some time to go through them and see if I might manage to get a few out of the way.”

“Varric is asking you about being lost?”

“Not in particular. He was asking about my personal thoughts on our ‘Quest’ and various other inquiries that he’s gotten from listeners or the like.” Alaren replies. “I saw no harm in it, in fact just the opposite so I agreed to answer as many as I could whenever I found the time.” Cassandra looks at them for a few moments. “If you want, we could see about adjusting the route to Crestwood to allow us a little leeway when it comes to our arrival. It might give us some time to poke our heads in here and see if this group is still lingering in the area.”

“I’ve already charted a new course.” Cassandra says and he nods like he was expecting it. “I just wanted your go ahead before I informed the rest of the party.”

“You have it.” Alaren says easily. “With luck, we’ll get there in time before they decide to move to a new location.”

“I hope so.” Cassandra nods, she goes to take the scroll again when she pauses. “What do you mean ‘just the opposite’?”

“Pardon?”

“You said you answered Varric’s inane questions because they did ‘just the opposite’ of harm.” She looks at him. “I would have taken that at face value, but there was something in how you said it that makes me think…”

“Always the Seeker.” Alaren says with a soft chuckle and a smile. “But as per usual, you are correct.” He looks at the pages. “I thought it a good…secondary source outside of the Inquisition’s records.”

“Inquisition’s records?” She thinks about it. “You mean the written accounts that you have requested all scouts complete?”

“Yes.” Alaren nods. “One of the main problems with history is the lack of information after an event. As Vivienne once said, paraphrased, nothing is more dangerous than a lack of knowledge. I feared what might become of us many years from now with nothing but repeated hearsay. I sought to make that, at least to the best of my ability, not the case.”

“This ties back to your stories. The ones you did as a child.” Cassandra points out and he nods.

“It does.”

“You truly think so little of those who will come after us?”

“It’s not personal.” Alaren replies to that. “It’s just that we’ve seen history be rewritten and reformed based on what those in power wished to spread to the masses. Now I do not doubt that some day down the line another group might destroy all records, making all this work come out to naught, but I hope that it at least takes them time to rebrand the Inquisition into whatever force they wish to brand it into.” He looks at his hand. “As you well know, this ‘Herald of Andraste’… _fervor_ for lack of a better word, causes me great concern.”

“I do.”

“I want to be sure that I make it absolutely clear that this was no ‘holy mission’. That no deities or long dead prophet’s spoke to me or delivered me from anywhere.” He closes his fist, cutting out the glow. “There is very little that concerns me more long term than that.”

“Why?” Cassandra asks. “Why is it so hard for you to believe that you were chosen? Perhaps we will learn that it was not Andraste who delivered you out of the Fade, how does that make it any less divine? I do not presume to understand the Maker and his will, but as I have told you before – you were exactly what we needed when we needed it. If that is not divine provenance then I do not know what is.”

“I believe it was just coincidence. An unexpected hitch in a well-formed plan. They happen all the time and, in my case, I was just in the wrong place at the right time. Corypheus intended to take the mark for himself and somehow I got it instead by ‘interrupting’ him, so he claims.” Alaren shakes his head. “But to compare me to Andraste…it worries me for everyone else.”

“Why? Why would that be such a bad thing?” She asks and he gives her the look he does whenever he’s debating whether or not to answer something truthfully or diplomatically. “I can handle it, out with it.” He smiles slightly before he inclines his head to her in a nod.

“Very well, you cannot deny that there has not been a more destructive force to the lands of Thedas than Andrastrianism.” He says. “Those who follow it demand that all others do too and have never hesitated to use coercion, politics, war, indoctrination, slavery, torture and murder to achieve those goals. Those who do not adhere to or convert are considered either evil, wrong or misguided fools that must be dealt with.” He sighs. “I do not argue that there are those within the Chantry who have done no intentional harm to the world around them, but nevertheless the institution itself holds very few positives compared to the terror it has wrought.” He shakes his head. “I worry us becoming that very thing.”

“You think we’ll become the Chantry?”

“Did not the old Inquisition get molded into the Chantry and become the Seekers?”

“We policed all sides.”

“And yet in the end, a side was chosen and enforced.” Alaren replies. “I do not wish for someone to turn what we are doing here into a sword to cut all others down someday in the future. The only way I can think of to prevent that as much as I can is to make sure that the truth of what we thought, what we said and what we did is written down in first hand accounts and preserved for later generations.” He sighs. “I have no doubts that we will disband someday if we succeed with Corypheus and I just want to be sure that this ‘Herald of Andraste’ nonsense is not turned into another Andraste: Bride of the Maker, thing.”

“You believe we will disband?” Cassandra asks, mulling over the worries of the Inquisitor.

“I do. It’s inevitable.”

“I do not believe so. What makes you think we will?”

“I think the Chantry is a lot more powerful and insidious than many realize, and I think they’re biding their time to choose a Divine because they want to reap any benefits that the Inquisition manages to achieve.” Alaren replies. “As long as they are in this ‘limbo’, they do not truly have to take a united stance on us. If we succeed, they will find a way to take a piece of that credit. If we fail, they will say they knew it all along.”

“I would not be surprised if that occurred.” Cassandra admits.

“Say that we succeed, and the Chantry takes credit for it somehow. Those in power will immediately start to turn against us. We are beholden to no one and we are led – in their eyes – by a ‘Dalish elf savage’. They will immediately seek to find ways to control or demand our allegiance to something they consider ‘acceptable’ and like the Inquisition of old – that will leave only the Chantry if we do not wish to pledge to a king or a kingdom.” Alaren shakes his head. “I will not allow that to occur. Not if I still draw breath. I would rather rip us apart at the foundations than sign us over in any way to be the Chantry’s new mabari’s.”

“You’ve thought about this a lot.” Cassandra says and he gives her a soft smile with a small nod. “But you do not know the future. Perhaps none of that will come to pass.”

“Perhaps.” Alaren agrees. “To me it feels unlikely, but there is always a chance for it.” He motions to the pages. “So, I want to make sure that there is plenty of discourse and information on the subject of the true intentions of the Inquisition long before we get to the end and possibly forget these small moments in the face of it.” Alaren grabs the questions. “Plus, Varric believes that it’ll add more humanity to the Inquisition and it’s ‘Herald’.” He scrunches his nose a little at the title. “Create less of a ‘heroic religious giant’ tale, and more of a group of individuals just doing what we thought needed to be done.” Cassandra looks at him and nods.

“I understand.” She says before she holds up the scroll. “I will depart and handle this with Cullen. If at all possible, get some rest.”

“I’ll try again, if you wish it.”

“I do more than wish it. I command it.” She tells him and he chuckles a little as he nods and puts away the papers, blowing out the candle and standing up.

“Very well. Who am I to argue against that?” He asks playfully and she gives him a tiny smile in return before she leaves. She cannot help but think about what he said though, in the time following it and eventually a thought takes her and she gets up to do something about it.

“Varric.” She calls out, knocking on his door. “Open up dwarf, I know you’re awake. I can see the light.” There’s some shuffling behind the door before Varric opens it and gives her an uncertain look.

“Seeker, what brings you to my door at this hour?” He must see some sort of determination on her face because he immediately holds up his hands in surrender. “Whatever it is, I didn’t do it.”

“I am not here to accuse you of anything Varric, I am here to…” She stumbles slightly over the words. “I am here to ask you for a favor.” The dwarf’s eyebrows raise in surprise and he lowers his hands and motions for her to continue. “I wish to employ you, or give you a mission. However, it is you would like to look at it.”

“You just cussed me out and threw me around the other day but now you want to commission me?” Varric asks and she nods, not raising to the bait. “Well I’m all ears. This has to be good.”

“I wish for you to do what it is you do best.” She says. “I want you to write something for me.”

“What is it I’d be writing?”

“Alaren has expressed that you pass on questions to him.” She says and Varric nods. “He thinks that they’re a good thing, something that must be done for posterities sake.”

“He’s got that right.” Varric says with a nod. “And what Seeker, you want me to ask you questions too?”

“Yes, and no.” She says and he arches his eyebrow again. “Eventually yes. I would like to answer any questions you think I should, but I am here right now for something else. I have something I want for you to write down. I am…not as articulate on paper as I might wish to be at times and I lose much of what my original thought was by the time it gets to the paper. With that, I could use your help.” Varric sighs for a second before he finally steps to the side and opens the door wider for her.

“I hope you don’t mind that I leave it open?” He asks as she steps in and she shakes her head.

“Not at all.”

“Okay, well take a seat and let me get a quill.” Varric says and she goes over to a chair across from the small desk and sits. “Okay, what is it you want to say?” He asks once he’s ready.

“I have served the Chantry faithfully all of my life.” She says and he nods, already jotting down something. “I have sought out truth and answers for my entire career before the Conclave occurred. When it did, when the Breach opened up in the sky, I prayed to Andraste for guidance and for mercy. I did not understand why this had happened or why the Maker had seen fit to take our Most Holy away from us in our most crucial hour of need.” She sighs. “I am ashamed now to admit that the first time I learned of Alaren Lavellan, that my first thought went to the wilds and the untamed elves that stalked them. I thought perhaps he’d seen an opportunity to do a great evil and I am sure that some of my determination on that stemmed from nothing more than him being an elf.”

Varric looks up at her in slight surprise at her confession but she just shakes her head and continues.

“When I met him, when we spoke for the first time, I hated him. I had no proof of any wrongdoing on his part at the time, and yet somehow it was all the proof I needed. I do not know why, I think it was my need to have someone to blame for everything that was happening and I knew that he was at the center of all of it even if I didn’t know how or why.” She thinks back to that dungeon. Of a lone elf kneeling on the broken bricks with a calm demeanor and a steady voice. “He knew back then that he would be found guilty of the Divine’s murder, and yet he did not hesitate to aid me – his jailer – when I asked him too. I gave him false promises, useless platitudes of a trial that we both knew would never be fair and he just looked me in the eye and said he would do whatever it took to help before that time. He knew that I would hand him over and yet he never ran, never showed any inclination towards it. If anything, he protected me, aided and fought with me even though I threatened him when he did.”

Varric continues scribbling away as Cassandra goes back into the memories.

“When Leliana came to me after the first attempt to seal the Breach and told me what the whispers were that were going around about him being a divine messenger or warrior…I told her to allow them and yet I did not believe.” She admits and Varric glances at her for a brief moment before looking back down at the page. “I did not think that he was divine in any way, but I did think that it was useful. The Chantry was going to try to snuff us out as Chancellor Roderick threatened hourly and I thought that if we could use blind faith and fear to our advantage than it was a necessary evil to take in order to save the world.” She shakes her head. “But I did not believe.”

She pauses for a moment to let Varric catch up or anything and he nods for her to continue eventually.

“I may not have believed in the beginning but eventually all of that changed. I witnessed the character of a young man who had been seemingly pulled through flame and thrust into the light and continued to stand firm for all of us, and I started to believe the stories we put out. Even as each piece of new information revealed itself to disprove our claims, I believed more and more.” She looks at her hands. “But as my faith becomes more assured, even in the face of growing opposition he stands firm in his. He has never claimed to be holy or divine, and he is correct that there is no evidence supporting the claim that he is while there is so much of it piling up that proves he is not. Yet I see him on a day to day basis and I cannot help but see Andraste in him. Not the warrior Andraste setting edicts for us all, but the Andraste that first drew me to the Chantry as a young girl, the one full of care and kindness and love for all. It saddens me that he does not see it, and that he never will; and yet it impresses me that he does this all without any belief that he will be rewarded for it in the afterlife. He is merely kind to be kind. He helps just to help and he will give his aid to those who both revile him and worship him without hesitation, although he wishes that they would do neither.”

Cassandra thinks about what she’s trying to say, about what she wants to get on paper. If these are to be her real thoughts about all of this going on right now then she must be as blunt and as honest as possible.

“He fears that one day, we may be overtaken by the Chantry and by those who would worship him or hold him up as a secondary Andraste because of the mark. The mark given to him by Corypheus and not by the Maker or Andraste. In fact, there is no evidence of their hand in the proceedings other than fate. I do believe that he is right to fear this though. I believe that his concerns that someday they will take what he did here and twist it around to serve a politician’s purpose is an honest fear considering how history tends to play out. I hope that this is not what happens, but I know how things can go.” She shakes her head. “I did not want him once upon a time. I would have preferred Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, but now I would take no other. He is not what I would have imagined, or what I would have asked for – he is so much more. And I hope that history does not do him the discourtesy of reshaping or reforming him into any other mold than what he is. He is exactly what the world needed, and I hope that is the story that gets told when we are all dust in the wind. Not the political or religious version, but the very true version of one individual giving of themselves to aid all others.” She looks at Varric. “Is that enough?” Varric looks up at her before he nods.

“Yeah Seeker. That’s more than good.” He says as he jots a few more things down and then puts down the quill. “I’m surprised, I’ll admit; but I think he’ll appreciate it. He is all about true records, whether it’s flattering nor not. I think he’ll appreciate the frank candor.” He motions to the pages. “I’ll get this rewritten, a lot neater, but I don’t think you needed me Seeker. I think those words were just fine as they were.”

“You got them? All of them?”

“It’s not as much as you might think, but I’m very good at short hand.” He says with a nod. “I’ll have a better copy for you soon.”

“Thank you Varric.” Cassandra says as she stands and goes to the door.

“I didn’t know you didn’t believe once.” He catches her at it. “I mean, you sold it pretty well.”

“I had to. We needed the masses to believe it and they would look to the Left and Right Hands of the previous Divine for guidance. We misused that trust, even if it turned out for the best.” She shakes her head. “I may not agree with his stance on the Chantry, but when it comes to the misuse of power and the misuse of station over those who follow blindly…” She shakes her head. “Perhaps he’s not as far off as we might wish.” She inclines to Varric once more before she leaves.

There is much to do before morning.


End file.
